Gate fastener



Patented Sept. 8 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELI J. ANDERSON, OFSHERIDAN, WYOMING, ASSIGNGR OF ONE-HALF TO LAURA B. SMITH, OF SHERIDAN,WYOMING GATE FASTENER Application filed April 7, 1931. Serial No.528,372.

This invention relates to gate fastening devices and more particularlyto a device by means of which a gate composed of strands of wire may betightened between a pair of Supports.-

An ob ect of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which isreadily and cheaply manufactured and which is adapted to tighten aflexible gate and maintain the gate in tightened or tensioned position.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a gate fastener of thiskind which is so constructed as to provide a considerable amount ofleverage to a flexible gate so that the gate may be maintained inrelatively taut position.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill in part be described in and in part be understood from thefollowing detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, thesame being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa detail perspective view of a 5 device constructed according to thepreferred embodiment of this invention mounted on a gate structure, and

Figure 2 is a detail top plan view of the device.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designatecorrespond ing parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10designates generally a gate structure which is mounted at one end on apost or support 11, for swinging movement with respect to a second post12. This gate structure 10, in the present instance, is constructed ofstrands of wire 18 which are secured at one end to the supporting post-11 and the r opposite ends of the strands 18 are secured to an elongatedbar 14.

Disposed between the bar 14 and the post 11 there are mounted spacers 15which are secured to the strands of wire 13 and are adapted to holdthese strands in spaced relation to each other. These spacers 15 are ofa length to readily clear the ground so that when the gate structure 10is swung horizon tally, the dividers 15 will not drag on the ground.

A loop 16 is mounted on the supporting post 12 and extends outwardlytherefrom, this loop being adapted to engage the lower end of the gatebar 14 so as to hold this bar, 14 in desired position with respect tothe post 12. A gate locking and tensioning member, generally designatedas 17, is secured to the supporting post 12 adjacent the upper endthereof by means of a flexible member 1S. This locking or tensioningmember 1'? comprises an elongated bar 19 which is provided at oneendtherewith with a curved bar engaging member 20, and a loop or eye 21is interposed between the end of the bar 19 and the loop 20, this eye 21engaging the outer end of the flexible member 18 so as to secure thelocking member 17 on the post 12.

The opposite end of the bar 19 is provided with a loop 22 which is openat one end, this loop 22 being relatively small and adapted to engageone of thewire strands 13 so as to hold the bar 19 in substantiallyparallel re lation to the strand of wire 13 engaged by the loop 22. Theloop 20 constitutes a ten sioning loop, and when the disposed about thebar 14.

1n the use of this device, the bar 14 is first disposed at the lower endthereof in the loop 16 and the upper end of the bar 14 is pulled towardthesupporting post 12 so that the tensioning loop 20 will engage the bar14 ad jacent the upper end thereof. In the initial position of thislocking member 17, the bar 19 is disposed adjacent the supporting post12 with the loop 20 disposed about the bar 14. The locking member 17 isthen swung toward the gate 10, the upper portion of the bar 14 acting asa fulcrum and in the swinging movement of the locking member 17 the gatestructure 10 will be drawn toward the support 12. The bar 19 is swungtoward the gate 10 until it is substantially parallel with one of thestrands 13, whereupon the holding loop gate is closed, is

22 is positioned on the strand 13, this loop 22 U having the open endthereof so positioned that in order to release the loop 22 from thestrand 13, it is necessary to slightly twist the locking member 17. Thetension of the gate 10 will act to hold the loop 22 into engagement Withthe strand 13 so that when this loop 22 is mounted on the strand 13, thegate will remain under tension.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the abovespecifically described embodiment of this invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrictedonly by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gate fastening device of the character described comprising anelongated body member, an eye secured to and integrally formed with oneend of said member, an arouate extension formed with the eye and adaptedto engage about a vertically disposed bar carried by a swinging gatestructure, a flexible member secured at one end to the eye and at theopposite end to a fixed post, and a loop secured to the opposite end ofsaid member and engageable with the gate structure whereby to lock themember on the gate.

2. A gate fastening and tensioning member of the character describedcomprising an elongated member, an ofiset eye formed with one end ofsaid member, flexible means carried by a fixed post and engaging the eyewhereby to attach the member to the fixed post, an arcuate extensionformed with the eye and adapted to engage about a vertically disposedportion of the gate structure, and a relatively small seeming loopformed with the other end of said member and adapted to engage a portionof the gate structure whereby to hold the member into contact with thegate.

3. A gate fastening and tensioning device of the character describedcomprising an elongated straight member, a loop formed with one end ofsaid member, an arcuate extension formed with the loop, said extensionbeing adapted to engage about a vertically disposed portion of the gatestructure, flexible means for engaging the loop whereby to secure themember to a fixed support, and a relatively small loop formed with theopposite end of the member and adapted to engage a strand of wire in thegate structure whereby to hold the member against move ment on the gateand coactively tension the gate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ELI J. ANDERSON.

